Bath tub



July 25, 1961 w, CARROLL 2,993,213

BATH TUB Filed Feb. 26. 1959 F/gJ William H. Carroll v INVENTOR.

Mmm Uted tes This invention relates generally to a bath tub constructionand more particularly to a novel and improved bath tub wherein waterissprayed from below an overhanging rim of the bath tub eliminatingexternal and dangerous faucets. Further, it is contemplated that asingle control be utilized so that hazardous projections may be kept ata minimum to safe-gniard against danger in case of falling.

Most bathtubs being utilized today include projecting faucets andhandles which represent safety hazards inasmuch as a person may slip andstrike against one of the projections. Further, these conventionaldesigns make the bath tub unsightly-and unattractive. In accordance withthe contemplations of this invention, the novel bath tub construction ispresented wherein a bath tub having an overhanging rim is provided forreceiving perforated piping thereunder. A resilient retainer is utilizedalong the length of the piping to engage the piping and urge it into therecess. The recess and piping extend internally along the entireperimeter of the tub and accordingly, when a water supply is connectedto the piping, the tub will be filled with water through theperforations along the entire perimeter thereof. The resilient retainerwhich urges the piping into the recess includes a spring steel bandenclosed in a resilient casing, as of polyethylene. The retainer hasprojecting fingers thereon which, in a manner, surround the piping toforce it upward into the recess, out of sight. A single control handleis utilized so as to present the simplest and most attractiveconstruction.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide anovel bath tub construction wherein hazardous projections are kept at aminimum.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel bath tubconstruction which is attractive, and inexpensive to manufacture andinstall.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide novel retainermeans for mounting perforated piping along the internal perimeter of abath tub so as to efficiently distribute water to the tub.

In accordance with these above stated objects, below will beparticularly described the construction and utilization of the bath tubcomprising this invention.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away,illustrating the bath tub comprising this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the internal bathtub recess receiving the perforated piping retained by the resilientretainer;

FIGURE 3 is a group perspective View of the pipe connections between thewater supply and the perforated piping; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view showing theresilient retainer construction in detail.

With continuing reference to the drawings and initial reference toFIGURE 1, the numeral generally refers to the bath tub constructionincluding a floor portion 12 and a continuous side wall 14.Conventionally, the tub 10 is constructed of porcelain, but of courseutilization of any material will fall well within the teachings of thisate t invention. The bath tub 10 is adapted to be positioned immediatelyadjacent a tiled wall 16.

As will be noted in FIGURE 1, an internal recess 18 is formed in theside wall 14 and an overhanging rim 20 is formed adjacent thereto. Therecess 18 extends internally about the entire perimeter of the bath tub10.

Piping 22 which is perforated as at 24 is received in the recess 18along the entire length thereof. The piping 22 is adapted to beconnected to the water supply line 26 through a passage formed in thetub 10 and wall 16. The water supply pipe 26 is connected through anelbow 28 to a coupling30'. The coupling 30 is threaded as at 32 andthread'edly received within the elbow 28. The piping 22, whichispreferably formed of a resilient hose, isreceivedover the end 34 ofcoupling 30. A conventiona1 spring-type hose clamp 36 is received aroundthe perforated piping 22 to crimp the piping 22 to the end 34 ofcoupling 30. It will be noted that the central portion of coupling 30includes an enlarged portion 40 having flat sides as illustrated forreceiving a wrench thereon.

In order to retain the piping or hosing 22 within the recess 18, acontinuous resilient retainer 42 is provided to engage the piping orhosing 22 to resiliently urge the same into the recess 18 against thetub 10. The resilient retainer 42 includes a spring steel band 44 whichis enclosed in a resilient casing 46, which may for instance, beconstructed of polyethylene. Projecting fingers 48 are positioned alongthe length of the casing 46 and are arcu-ately constructed so as to gripthe piping or hosing 22 as indicated in FIGURE 2. It will be apparentthat when the continuous resilient retainer 42 is deformed to bereceived within the recess 18, it will tend to bow outwardly andaccordingly force the piping or hosing 22 up into the recess 18 belowthe overhanging rim 20 against the bath tub 10. Of course, care must betaken to see that the fingers 48 extending around the piping or hosing22 do not overlie the perforations 24. The piping or hosing 22 receivesa plug 50 at the end thereof secured by a spring-type hose clamp 52identical to the clamp 36 discussed above.

A single control handle 54 is pivotally mounted in the wall 16 andextends to a valve supported therein. A wall plate 56 under the handle54 designates the proper direction for increasing the hot or cold waterbeing fed to the piping or hosing 22 to be distributed to the tub 10through the perforations 24.

It is further contemplated that a central drain 58 be provided to allowfor easier and more efficient cleaning of the tub.

It should be clearly apparent now that the foregoing has described anovel construction in bath tubs wherein projecting elements are kept ata minimum so as to avoid the presence of hazardous conditions. Asidefrom the obvious safety precautions, the novel bath tub represents anattractive appearance when compared with the conventional fixtures nowbeing utilized. Still further the novel means of retaining the piping orhosing 22 within the recess 18 in the tub 10 is simple and inexpensive.With the construction contemplated, the fixture is easy to clean andinexpensive to manufacture and install.

The fo-regoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. The combination of a bath tub having a continuous side wall providedat the inside thereof in a plane spaced downwardly from but adjacent toits upper edge with a continuous recess of a V-shaped cross-sectionopening toward the tub, said recess in cross-section being in-' clinedupwardly and outwardly from the inside of said side Wall and includingupper and lower surfaces terminating in a substantially semi-circularupper end region, a perforated tube disposed in and substantiallycoextensive with the semi-circular upper end region of said recess inrelation to the continuity of said side wall, means for supplying waterto said tube, and an elongated keeper member disposed in said recessinwardly of and substantially coextensive with said tube, said keepermember including an elongated body portion in supporting engagement withsaid tube and a plurality of resilient fingers provided atlongitudinally spaced points on and projecting laterally from said bodyportion, said fingers having a lateral span greater than the width ofsaid recess and frictionally engaging said upper and lower surfaces ofthe recess, whereby to retain the keeper member and said tube inposition therein.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said tube is formed fromresilient material.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said keeper member includesa resilient strip and a covering of resi-lient material thereonconstituting said body portion thereof, said fingers being formedintegrally with said covering.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient fingers arein engagement with said tube as well as with said surfaces of saidrecess.

871,876 Law NOV. 26, 1907 1,145,669 Brown July 6, 1915 2,166,469 HoustonJuly 18, 1939 Neely Mar. 7, 1950

